Traveling on a Budget: Tips & Tricks

Grab your passport, and my hand....

Hey Babes! If you're anything like me, every so often (like all the time) you have this burning desire to pack a bag, grab a bae and GO! Wanderlust is a serious illness, and if not treated within a reasonable time, can lead to consequences. However, sometimes you may just not have the funds to do so... Sooo today we're talking about how to travel on a budget! I've broken it down to 4 areas where you can save. Honestly, whenever I go somewhere I save on all 4 - but mix and match as you please!

1. Getting There

2. Food

3. Lodging

4. Fun

Getting There

Road trip! Obviously cheaper than a plane ticket! Some of my favorite adventures have been in a car with rad friends. Split the gas or work something out! But if airfare is necessary than try and be as flexible as possible. My two secrets for cheap airfare are both powered by Google. Google Flights and Matrix. They both will pull all airline info and show you tons of options. Play with these sites a little and you'll get the hang of it. Checking out flights is like a hobby for me! I LOVE finding good deals!

Food

Two words: Street food. Use discretion with this one if you're in a foreign country. Do a little research about the food and water conditions and use your better judgment and you'll be fine. Restaurants will add up SO fast and don't give you the same cultural experience. Don't be shy, ask locals where they like to eat. I do this everywhere I go! Buuuut just for backup, bring some pilly pills!

Lodging

If you're up for adventure and meeting new people then I would definitely recommend CouchSurfing or Youth Hostels. In my experience with Couch Surfing, I've had 100% free lodging, made new friends, and had an overall more authentic experience. Youth Hostels also give you a way to make new friends from around the world who make great trip buddies. If neither of these options are for you then look no further than Airbnb. Affordable, safe, private(er). But if you REALLY want a hotel then I would use Priceline.com's Express Deals or Name Your Own Price tool. You can pretty much always find a good deal! Ok the last option is camping! Its not for everyone or every situation/trip, but if you go to a place where its possible -> DO IT!

Fun
Whenever I'm in a new city, I look into their city pass program. Pretty much every tourist-y city has one. For example, when Daniel and I were in Copenhagen, we bought the 72 hour city pass which was 200 DKK (roughly around $30). We got WAY more than our money's worth! When we did the math we would have spent more than triple the amount to do everything we did in those 72 hours. Also note that most city passes include public transportation! With "fun" and other miscellaneous spending, just make sure you set a budget and stick to it!

So there you have some of my budget travel secrets and tips. You guys, these really work!

My husband and I went to Puerto Rico (and surrounding islands) in February for our 3 year anniversary. I found round trip tickets for $160 each! We brought our light weight camping gear and camped on the beach for FREE! Our 6 days in paradise cost less than $500 ALL TOGETHER! In comparison, my friend went 2 weeks before I did and he spend about $2,000 for 1 person.

Our trip to Europe is another example where we utilized all 4 areas of savings. Our flights were $700 each (which is SUPER cheap for Europe). Our 11 day Christmas/New Year getaway cost less than $2,500 for everything. Hostels, street food and city passes changed the game!

Our most recent trip to South America came in at $2,000 for both of our RT flights, food, lodging, activities, etc. Used every trick in the book for this one!

These are just some examples of my budget travels. I'm not kidding when I say traveling on a budget is a hobby of mine! I'll update this post as needed, but seriously try some of my tricks and let me know how it goes! Feel free to comment if you have any questions:) I would love to help anyway I can!